Sand of change: a guided walk along the Sand Engine (De Zandmotor)

An afternoon walk around the Zandmotor, a mega nourishment project that formed a hook-shaped peninsula to provide longer term coastal protection by harnessing nature’s forces and processes. With us we will have two experts on the fields of deltaic systems and coastal engineering, Luca Iuorio and Stuart Pearson.

PS. The walk will be combined with a beach cleanup

Note: Please keep in mind that this will be a beach walk. Appropriate footwear is strongly recommended, as walking barefoot is not advised due to the large number of seashells along the shore.

(more info on the program soon)

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More about our guests:

Luca Iuorio

I graduated in architecture from Iuav University of Venice, where I also obtained the doctorate in urbanism. I am currently an assistant professor of Spatial design of future deltaic systems in the faculty of Architecture and the built environment of TU Delft in the department of Urbanism, section of Environmental technology and design. My academic work ranges from the study of the territorial dimension of engineering infrastructures to the design of spatial interventions to adapt to climate change. I am particularly interested in understanding and explaining how technology affects our society and shapes the places where we live.  Currently my scientific investigation centers on riverine and coastal areas. I conduct interdisciplinary research and design projects focused on water infrastructure. Physical modeling, scenario making, critical mapping, ethnographic fieldworks, archival research and site-specific designs are the main tools, methodologies and outputs I employ to scientifically develop climate adaptation. 

Stuart Pearson

I am an assistant professor in coastal engineering at TU Delft in the faculty of civil engineering. Originally from Canada, I carried out my PhD and postdoc in coastal engineering at TU Delft, and worked for several years as a consulting engineer for projects on coral reefs, estuaries, and beaches around the world. My research mainly focuses on understanding how waves and tides move sand and mud around on our coasts, so that we can develop strategies to keep everyone’s feet dry. Where do the sand grains in your sandcastle (or sand engine!) go when it washes away? By measuring sand in the field and using that information to run computer simulations, we can figure this out.